1998/04/01
Published in "Juku," No. 211, 1998
Today, Keio's Foundation Day is set as April 23.
However, this Keio Foundation Day was not established at the time of the school's founding but was designated more than 50 years later.
Here, we will look back on the circumstances that led to the establishment of Keio Foundation Day.
Not only for the establishment of Keio Foundation Day, but historical materials from that time are extremely scarce. Among them, the following documents, the "Keio Gijuku Gakuho" and the "Jiji Shinpo," provide insight into the circumstances. They contain information about Keio's Foundation Day.
Keio University Anniversary
Keio University moved from Shiba Shinsenza to its current location in Mita 2-chome on April 23, Meiji 4 (March 23 on the old calendar). Therefore, starting this year, Keio will designate this day as Keio Foundation Day, close the school, and hold various beneficial events. At the same time, the Kishukusha Memorial, which was traditionally held every September, will also be held on the same day. (From "Keio Gijuku Gakuho")
Keio University Anniversary
April 23 corresponds to the day in Meiji 4 when Keio University moved from Shiba Shinsenza to the current high ground, the former Shimabara domain residence (March 23 on the old calendar). For this reason, this day has been designated as Keio Foundation Day, and classes will be suspended each year to open the school to the public. The various events on that day are said to be as follows. (From "Jiji Shinpo")
However, it is difficult to confirm the anniversary date from these articles. One reason is the discrepancy in the conversion between the old and new calendars (April 23, Meiji 4 on the solar calendar does not match March 23 of the same year on the lunar calendar). Another is that the connection between the date of Keio's move to Mita and April 23 is tenuous.
Furthermore, an article written by Yukichi Fukuzawa himself shows that the founding of the school (kaijuku) and its renaming (which led to Keio Foundation Day) are different events.
Record of the New Year's Announcement
Today's gathering is the 22nd New Year's announcement since the school's founding and the 12th since the renaming to Keio University. (January, Meiji 12)
The "founding of the school" mentioned here refers to its establishment in Tsukiji Teppozu in the winter of Ansei 5 (1858). The year of the renaming would then be Keio 4 (1868).
Among other records from this period, there is one with a clear date called the "Seimeiroku" (Register of Names). This is a record of students entering the Juku. In the "Seimeiroku Daiichi" after the move to Shinsenza, the name of Michizo Hayashi (later founder of Maruzen) is found as having entered on April 1, Keio 4. Another person whose entrance date is known is Taizo Abe (who later served as President, executive board member, and councilor). The date he "entered the school" is listed as April 2, Keio 4. Converting April 1, Keio 4 to the Gregorian calendar gives April 23, 1868.
It is likely from such materials that April 23 was presumed to be Keio Foundation Day. It is said that a grand event was held on the first Keio Foundation Day, established in Meiji 42. A summary of an article from the "Keio Gijuku Gakuho" describes the event as follows.
New students of the University Preparatory Course gathered at the "first Enzetsukan (Public Speaking Hall) in the empire" for talks by President Kamata and others. Meanwhile, an exhibition was held in the reading room on the upper floor of the Jukukan-kyoku (Keio Corporate Administration) of the time. The walls and tables were packed with items such as the rice-polishing mortar still displayed in the Memorial Room today, along with Yukichi Fukuzawa's personal effects, manuscripts, calligraphy, and woodblocks for his books. In another room, old books such as Wayland's economics text were displayed. There were also portraits and photographs, likely adorning the walls, which reportedly included later photographs of those who had sailed on the Kanrin Maru. In the classrooms, students of the School of Commerce and Industry could be seen conducting business practice. In the basement, where scientific instruments were displayed, an electrical experiment was conducted with new equipment that had just arrived the day before, with dazzling flashes of electric light. Visitors streamed in throughout the day.
Today, Keio Foundation Day is a school holiday at Keio.